Home Business - 2 broadband connections?

MsLondon

I am going to be setting up a small business and working from home. I would like a separate number for the business and understand that I cant use our existing BT residential connection for the broadband. If I go for the business broadband, do I still have to pay for the residential broadband?

thanks for any advice

jhp

MsLondon wrote: »

I am going to be setting up a small business and working from home. I would like a separate number for the business and understand that I cant use our existing BT residential connection for the broadband. If I go for the business broadband, do I still have to pay for the residential broadband?

thanks for any advice

Nothing to stop you using res broadband for your business and getting a free incoming number from https://www.sipgate.co.uk

hippey

MsLondon wrote: »

I am going to be setting up a small business and working from home. I would like a separate number for the business and understand that I cant use our existing BT residential connection for the broadband. If I go for the business broadband, do I still have to pay for the residential broadband?

thanks for any advice

Keeping the residential BB is upto you, but think carefully about what you want from your communication provider. If you need resiliance then keeping the residential BB as a fall back might be a good idea but this will only work if it's a fault that doesn't affect your res line as well as your business.

Some business comms provide quick repairs and high uptime rates but you have to balance this with cost. An alternate number laid over your line is one way as is the 'call sign' network service which some operators offer.

But be aware if you have an all inclusive package now just watch for any FUP regarding calls, make to many and it might cost!

skint999

You can keep your residential landline and broadband, if you have bt homehub with broadband talk then you can use the broadband talk as a seperate line for business calls or alternatively you can get call sign feature added to your landline calling features (this is a charged extra and you cannot use the line for personal and business simultaniously).

You may be in contract for your residential package, so check those details if you decide to move to a business account.

It really depends on your requirements for both business and personal and what you need from the package.

BT Business Broadband is not as expensive as some may think, packages start from £11 per month and you can get a few perks with BT's Business packages like - All help and support centres are UK based so no hastle there, faster response time if your connection developes a fault and requires an engineer, packages come with free webhosting for your business website, and the mid range package and up gets you a free 0800 or 0844 number.

Again it does depend on your needs and requirements, there's nothing stopping you from using the residential package, just add a BB Talk Number to act as that seperate business line, that's what I woud do.

MsLondon

Sorry for the late posting.

Just wanted to say a big thankyou for the replies.

LUSK

I am in a similar position here and because my contract with my old provider has finished, I have changed to a new provider (for Broadband only) and this new provider will bill me in the company's name. I dont know how HMRC would view this, that would be the only problem.

Hammyman

LUSK wrote: »

I am in a similar position here and because my contract with my old provider has finished, I have changed to a new provider (for Broadband only) and this new provider will bill me in the company's name. I dont know how HMRC would view this, that would be the only problem.

Legally you can only claim the percentage of usage which is business use when something is shared between personal and business use.

The reality is that if you don't take the mick, its not likely to come to light.